Author Jonathan Richards

Even if DIY isn’t your favourite task in the world, it’s still a much needed job. And there are certain things you wouldn’t trust others to do and want to do yourself. Similarly, in the business world, you can outsource elements of your business – from accounts to HR admin – but building and fostering a positive workplace culture, isn’t one of those.

Choosing suppliers can be a confusing and daunting task, but Total Gas & Power’s fixed price gas and electricity products are designed to be simple and transparent – so you can get on with running your business.

Anyone who has ever started their own business will know just how challenging it can be. In the early days, when resources are stretched to the limit, you have to take on everything from setting the vision for the business and bringing in the sales, to the marketing, accounting, HR and more – but effective delegation is your best friend.

It doesn’t matter what kind of business you run; effective communication is vital for creating strong relationships with colleagues and customers alike. But do you ever feel that when it comes to engaging with some employees, something always seems to get lost in translation?

It's always immediately obvious to me whether the candidate across the table from me is serious about working for my company, by the response I get when at the end of the interview I ask: “Do you have any questions for us?”.

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri steered his club to its first ever Premier League title, achieving what many thought was impossible with a team ranked as 5000/1 outsiders by the bookies. His strategy for success was simple; focus on the next game and don’t think about where each win might take the team, but could this approach work in business?

While time is money might be an old cliché it’s one which still rings true today, as any entrepreneur and business owner will testify. With products to sell, problems to solve and ideas to develop, alongside the everyday challenges of running a business is there ever enough hours in the day?